Attract lizards to gardens in the lower North Island

Introduction

Highlights

Some lizards happily alongside us without our knowing, others are declining due to loss and fragmentation of habitat, and predation by cats, birds and mammals. Every gardener can make a difference by creating habitats for lizards to flourish.

Lizards of urban areas in the lower North Island

Common skink (Oligosoma polychroma)

Brown skink (Oligosoma zelandicum)

Scattered throughout Wellington from Johnsonville to Karori and south to Island Bay. Not abundant.

Ornate skink

Copper skink (Oligosoma aeneum)

A handful of records exist for Wellington, Hutt Valley and east of the harbour.

Ornate skink (Oligosoma ornata)

There are few records in Wellington but they are known to be locally abundant in some areas including from a line across central Wellington to Karori north, and through most suburbs to Johnsonville (south of State Highway 1).